Practice What You Preach

Practice What You Preach is a great leap on which Testament, while maintaining thrash metal’s sure aggression, put forward the songs’ hooks and vocal outline more clearly. Further developing the direction of the first two albums, it gained a refined sound reaching a wider range. Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson’s guitars deftly move between fast, sharp riffs and melodic, beautiful solos. A record that also boosted the band’s commercial success. From the powerful drive of the catchy opening title track “Practice What You Preach” and the drama of “Sins of Omission” to “Greenhouse Effect,” singing of environmental issues, every song is engaging, while cuts like “The Ballad” and “Envy Life” convey the work’s fullness. Lyrics including social themes and memorable choruses greatly widen the album’s accessibility. A record that, while stepping in a more popular direction, shows the band moved powerfully to the next stage, its playing’s sure sharpness by no means lost. Thrash aggression and excellent songwriting are united at a high level. A powerful, engaging great record symbolizing early Testament’s fullness — a record where the band’s growth shines.